Card-display device.



Wilwwow 2 R. HOPKINS & A. G. WEIDENSEE.

CARD DISPLAY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 13, I915.

1,214,732. Patented Feb. 6,1917.

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ROBERT HOPKINS AND ALBERT G. WEIDENSEE, OF SHEFFIELD, ALABAMA.

CARD-DISPLAY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 6, 1917.

Application filed August 13, 1915. Serial No. 45,311.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT HOPKINS and ALBERT G. WEIDENSEE, citizens of the United States, residing at Sheffield, in the county of Colbert and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Card-Display Devices, of Which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to card display device and it consists in the constructions, combinations-and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of our invention is to provide an improved card display device especially adapted for displaying advertising cards and matter in an attractive manner.

A further object of our invention is to provide a compact and inexpensive card display device, which is simple in operation and which can be readily adjusted to vary the period during which the several cards are displayed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section on the line 11 of Fig. 2; illustrating one embodiment of our invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view, illustrating a preferred form of card holder or support; Fig. A is a fragmentary view of the drive pinion provided with independently detachable teeth; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, showing a modified form of card holder; Fig. 6 is a front face view of the construction shown in Fig. 5, with the trip pin shown in position; Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a double card support, and Fig. 8 is a double section, illustrating a modified form of casing for displaying both sides of the cards.

Referring to the drawings, 1 indicates a casing provided with a display opening 2 and with an adjustable shutter 3 for varying the height of said opening; the shutter being provided with screws 1 extending through slots 5 in the casing and carrying thumb nuts 6 for locking said shutter in its sev eral adjusted positions. A pair of spring stops 7 are rigidly secured to the shutter 3 and extend into position for yieldingly en-. gaging the arms 8 of a card support, or a card contained in said support, when the latter is in position to display a card at the opening 2; said pair of stops 7 being simultaneously adjusted and maintained in proper position by the adjustment of the shutter 3.

A drum 9 is rotatably mounted in the easing 1- and provided with suitable end flanges 10 in which are secured the pivots 11 of an annular series of equally spaced card supports. I have shown a preferred form of card support, which can be readily formed of a single blank and which is provided with a pair of grooved arms 8 for slidably receiving a card and with a bottom rest, or stop, 12 for the inserted card; said support be ing bent to provide eyes 13 for receiving the pivot ;11.

An annular series of equally spaced pins 14 are secured to one end of the drum and correspond in number to the number of pivots 11 for the card supports on said drum;the said pins 14 and pivots 11 being preferably arranged in common radial lines of said drum. A drive pinion is secured to a spindle 17 rotatably mounted in the casing 1, said pinion comprising a body portion 15 having a series of independently detachable teeth 16 adapted to mesh with the annular series of pins 1A; I have shown a preferred and simple construction, in which the detachable teeth 16 are screwed into threaded socketsin the periphery of the body portion.

A suitable gear wheel 18 is secured to the outer end of the spindle 17 in mesh with a suitable gear 19, which latter is secured to a power shaft 20; said powershaft being driven in any desired or well known manner, as by belting from an electric motor or other device.

From the above description, it will be seen that by detaching the alternate diametrically-opposite pairs of teeth from the pinion body 15 the length of the period during which the successive cards are displayed will be doubled. This adjustment of the length of time during which the cards are displayed can be varied as desired, for example, by removing all but one of the detachable pinion teeth 16, the drum 19 would be given only a single step movement for each entire rotation of the drive pinion.

Figs. 5 and 6' illustrate a modified construction, in which the card support is formed with a lug 21 adapted toextend inwardly past the pivot 11, of said'support for engagement with a trip pin 22 secured to the interior of the casing-1; this causes a positive downward swing of the card support on its pivot when the drum 9 is rotated to release said card support from the spring stop 7 The casing 1 is preferably provided with a lender spring 23 for receiving the card supports to minimize the shock when the latter fall to their position.

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a satisfactory construetion for simultaneously displaying the front face of one card and the rear face of the preceding card on the druIn 9. In this construction the casing 24 is provided with a display opening 25, and a'pair of card supports 26 and 27 are mounted on each of the drum pivots 28; the forward support 26 of each pair being slightly shorter than the rear support 27 thereof, to insure its earlier release from the spring stops 7 W e have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory constructions, but changes could be made within the spirit and scope of our invention.

W'eclaim:

1. In a card display device, the combination of a drum, a series of card supports carried thereby, an annular series of pins secured to said drum, a drive pinion comprising a body and a series of independently detachable teeth adapted to mesh with said series of pins, and means for rotating said drive pinion. V

2. In a card display device, the combination of a casing provided with a display opening, a rotatable drum, a series of card supports on said drum, an adjustable shutter for varying the size of said display opening stops on said shutter for engaging the respective card supports, an annular series of pins secured to said drum, a drive pinion comprising a body and a series of independently detachable teeth adapted to mesh with said series of pins, and means for rotating said drive pinion.

3. In a card display device, the combination of a drum, a series of card supports spaced equally about the periphery thereof, spring stops for engaging the respective card supports, an annular series of equally spaced pins secured to said drum and corresponding in number to the number of card supports in said series, a drive pinion comprising a body and a series of independently detachable teeth adapted to mesh with said annular series of pins, and means for rotating said drive pinion.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT HOPKINS. ALBERT G. WEIDENSEE.

Witnesses:

BEN Com, L. E. WHITE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Eatents, Washington, D. G. 

